unit 12: elijah and elisha ot12.12 naaman the leper · the memory verse is john 3:16 “for god so...

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OT12.12 Naaman the Leper ©Beverly Wilson 2019

Unit 12: Elijah and Elisha OT12.12 Naaman the Leper

Scripture: 2 Kings 5

Lesson Goal: Elisha was a prophet in the land of Israel during the reign of the kings. Elisha followed in Elijah’s footsteps and demonstrated the power of God to perform many miracles. In this lesson Naaman the Leper was healed.

Introduction: This lesson is found in the book of 2 Kings. This book tells the history of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah. It is in the second group of Old Testament books called the historical books. These books begin with Joshua and go through Esther. Let's say these books--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther

Attention Getter: “Spot Cleaner” Have you ever seen your mom use one of these to clean spots in your house? This glass cleaner will remove spots on the windows. The carpet cleaner will remove spots on the rug and the laundry spot remover will take stains out of clothes. All of these spot removers remove spots.

The man in this Bible lesson was named Naaman and he had spots that he wanted to remove. But they were spots that none of these spot removers could clean. They were spots that only God could clean. Naaman had spots from the dreaded disease of leprosy.

Opening Prayer: “Father in heaven, you have shown your power in many ways! You are the great Physician. You are the only One who can heal us of our greatest sickness—sin. Thank you that You have made a way for us to be cleansed from our sin through the death of your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to trust in You for our salvation. Thank you that you have made a way for us to be with you in heaven and see you face to face. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”

Memory Verse: The memory verse is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/5Cre94QnQ4Y Elisha was a prophet in the land of Israel during the reign of the kings. Elisha followed in Elijah’s footsteps and demonstrated the power of God to perform many miracles. He often showed great compassion for those who were around him. People who trusted in God soon learned that if they had a problem they could go to the prophet Elisha for help. Elisha’s name even meant “God is Salvation.” During the time of Elisha there was a kingdom to the northeast of Israel called Aram in the land of Syria. Although Israel and Aram were neighbors they were rarely on friendly terms. The Syrians were growing in power and would conduct raids on Israel. They were trying to frustrate the people of Israel and bring confusion. They often took Israelite captives and brought them back to Aram after a successful raid. There lived in Syria or Aram a man named Naaman. Naaman was the commander-in-chief or General of the Army of Syria. He had won many battles and was highly regarded by the king and his countrymen. As a successful military leader Naaman had kidnapped captives of his own. One of them was his wife’s

https://youtu.be/5Cre94QnQ4Y

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servant girl. She had been taken from her home and family in Israel. Although this little girl was far from home she still worshipped God and had faith in Him. Even though Naaman was rich and had an important job, he was not happy. Naaman had leprosy. Leprosy was a dreaded disease for which there was no cure. Leprosy caused big spots or sores all over a person’s body. Because the disease was contagious people with leprosy were often forced to live with others that had the disease. These places were outside the city and were called leper colonies. Naaman’s wife and the other members of his family were very sad. They knew that day by day, Naaman was slowly dying. At that time there was no medicine to treat this horrible disease. Every day the sores were getting worse all over his body. Skin and bones were deteriorating and falling off his body. Even the servants felt sorry for Naaman and his wife. One of the servant girls who had been brought as a captive from Israel wondered if she could help. She knew about the true and the living God and about Elisha, the prophet of God that lived in the land of her childhood. The servant girl felt sure that if Naaman went to the prophet, he could be cured of his leprosy. So one day she gathered up the courage and said, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” Naaman’s wife had never heard of God and yet she sat there and listened to the servant girl tell of the wonderful thing that God could do through Elisha. New hope came into her heart. Naaman’s wife went to tell her husband of this great news. Naaman listened intently. He had captured this servant girl on one of his raids into Israel. Why was she trying to help him? Could it be true that there was a God who could cure the dreaded disease of leprosy? It was his only hope. So Naaman agreed with his wife that he would have to go and try to find the prophet Elisha. But he was a Syrian who had attacked people in Israel. How willing would they be to help an enemy? Perhaps the King of Syria could help. The King of Syria had never heard of Elisha the prophet but the king felt sure that the ruler of Israel would know so he gave Naaman a letter. The letter of recommendation to the king of Israel was to introduce him to Naaman and explain the situation. The king also saw to it personally that a royal gift was prepared for whoever could cure Naaman of his dreaded disease. The king did everything to show Naaman how much he thought of his commander-in-chief. Naaman hurried home and packed for his trip. He loaded his chariots with 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold plus ten sets of clothes. Naaman didn’t know that he could not buy the power to cure leprosy. Only the power of God could heal Naaman and that was a free gift from God. So Naaman was sent off on the journey south into Israel with wishes for a speedy recovery. It was a long journey but finally Naaman arrived at the palace of the King Jehoram, the ruler of the land of Israel. The king opened the letter of introduction and started to read, “With this letter I am sending you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Leprosy! Cure a man of leprosy! Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? He is just trying to pick a fight with me!” Because the king was so afraid he asked for time to consult with his advisors on this matter of great importance. The wise men of the kingdom wondered what to do. But because the letter had failed to mention the prophet Elisha and because the king and his advisors were not right with God, they did not have an answer. The king was still pondering the problem, when a servant came to the king with a message about Elisha the prophet. Elisha had heard about Naaman’s visit to the king. He had heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in grief so he sent him this message, “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me

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and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” Elisha wanted the Syrians to know that there was a true and living God. The king was very happy to be relieved of his problem. So Naaman left the royal palace and went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. But when they arrived, they found themselves outside a very simple poor home. Instead of greeting Naaman with great fanfare Elisha just sent a messenger to him. The messenger said to Naaman, “Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River and your flesh will be cleansed!” Naaman was bothered by the fact that no one was outside to meet him. After all He was the captain of the Syrian army! Naaman became very angry! He said, “I thought that the prophet would at least come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spots and cure me of my leprosy? Are not the rivers of Damascus more beautiful than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” He started to go off in a rage. He would not be insulted like this! He did not want to wash in the muddy Jordan River! But some of the men with Naaman tried to reason with him about it. They reminded their leader that had he been told to do a difficult thing, he undoubtedly would have tried to do it. Why not do as the servant had said? Naaman knew in his heart that his men were right. If he was going to be helped by God, he must be willing to believe and obey. So Naaman and his men travelled on to the river Jordan. Naaman obediently did as Elisha had told him. He waded into the water. What was going to happen? Naaman dipped once then twice… and his body remained the same. He dipped a third and a fourth time…He dipped a fifth time and then a sixth time…When Naaman went down for the seventh time the men on the bank moved forward. Was it possible for their captain to be healed? Was there a God who could do such a thing? And when Naaman came up out of the water his shouts of excitement could be heard by everyone! “My leprosy! It’s gone!” Naaman’s skin was clean like that of a young boy! Naaman was overcome with joy. God had healed his body! Naaman and his men humbly returned to the small house where Elisha lived. Naaman thanked Elisha and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please now accept a gift from your servant.” They showed Elisha the many gifts from the king. But Elisha did not want their gifts. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will not accept such a thing!” Even though Naaman urged him, he refused. Elisha wanted God to have all the glory for this miracle. Elisha did not want Naaman to think that God’s healing and salvation could be bought with riches. Naaman then promised that he would never again worship false gods. He would only offer sacrifices and offerings to the Lord. He would only love and serve the one true God of Israel Jehovah. A wonderful miracle had taken place. Naaman had been cured of his leprosy through simple faith and obedience to the will of God. How glad Naaman was that Elisha and the slave girl had helped him. “Go in peace,” Elisha said so Naaman and his men then left to return home After they had traveled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” Gehazi was very selfish and he wanted the riches that Naaman had offered Elisha. So Gehazi hurried after Naaman.

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When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked. “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, “Two young prophets arrived at the hill country of Ephraim,” he lied. “Please give them silver and two sets of clothing.” Naaman willingly gave Gehazi twice the amount of silver he had asked for and the clothes. Gehazi smuggled them back to the house and hid them. Elisha asked, “Where have you been Gehazi?” “Nowhere,” Gehazi lied. “Was not my spirit with you when Naaman got down from his chariot to meet you,” Elisha asked. Elisha knew about his dishonest servant’s dealings and declared, “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So Gehazi’s skin became leprous as white as snow. In the Bible leprosy is a picture of sin. The story of Naaman’s faith and obedience is like a guide to our own salvation. We are saved from our sins by the same kind of faith and obedience to the Word of God that Naaman had. When Naaman found out that he had leprosy how do you think he felt? He seemed to be in a hopeless situation. Leprosy is a terrible problem. But there is something much worse than leprosy. It is sin. You and I have sinned. In many ways sins is like leprosy. Sin is anything that displeases God and it separates us from Him. God must punish sin and that punishment is to be separated from Him forever. But God had a plan to save Naaman just as He has a plan to save us! God’s plan cannot be bought or sold with money or riches. It is sad to think about Elisha’s servant Gehazi who selfishly wanted riches over honoring and obeying God. He suffered because he had spoiled God’s picture of grace, mercy and love toward Naaman. God’s plan of salvation is a free gift to all who believe in Him. Our memory verse is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse is tells us that God has a plan for us to be cleansed from our sin. It is through His Perfect Son, the Lord Jesus. We must believe or trust in Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life. Let’s say our verse again together. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” When Jesus died on the cross He was taking the punishment for our sin. As He hung there on the cross, God placed on Him all the wrong things you and I have done. The Lord Jesus willingly suffered so you and I would not have to. He gave His blood so our sins could be forgiven and we could become clean. The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except by Him. There is only one way for you and I to be cleansed from our sin and that’s by believing in what Jesus did for us on the cross. In order to be healed from leprosy Naaman had to humble himself and dip in the muddy waters of the Jordan River. Because Naaman trusted in God’s way he was healed. The same thing is true for us. If we believe the Lord Jesus died to cleanse us from sin we are saved from being eternally separated from Him. Do you believe the Lord Jesus died to cleanse you from sin? Your faith in Jesus is God’s way of salvation! Will you believe?

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Let’s pray. “Father in heaven, you have shown your power in many ways! You are the great Physician. You are the only One who can heal us of our greatest sickness—sin. Thank you that You have made a way for us to be cleansed from our sin through the death of your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to trust in You for our salvation. Thank you that you have made a way for us to be with you in heaven and see you face to face. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.” Remember only God can forgive and remove sin!

Review Questions/ Game: “Pass High, Pass Low” Preparation: You will need two empty cardboard tubes. Draw a star on one of the two paper tubes. Procedure: Students stand in a circle and pass the paper tubes in opposite directions around the circle according to your directions. When you say, “Pass high,” the students pass the tubes over their heads. When you say, “Pass low,” the students squat down and pass the tubes by sliding the tubes along the floor. When you say, “Pass behind,” students pass the tubes behind their backs. Students continue passing until you say, “Pass no more.” The student holding the tube with the star answers one of the Review Questions below. The teacher or leader should switch directions often and quickly to keep student’s interest level high. Keep the game fun by participating in and enjoying the game yourself!

1. Who was Elisha? (Elisha was a prophet that God had chosen to take over the ministry of Elijah.

Elisha demonstrated the power of God to perform many miracles. He often showed great compassion for those who were around him. People who trusted in God soon learned that if they had a problem they could go to the prophet Elisha for help.)

2. What did Elisha’s name mean? (Elisha’s name even meant “God is Salvation.” 3. Who was Naaman? (Naaman was the commander-in-chief or General of the Army of Syria. He

had won many battles and was highly regarded by the king and his countrymen.) 4. What had Naaman done that made him an enemy of the people of Israel? (As a successful military

leader Naaman had led raids against the Israelites and had kidnapped captives from Israel. One of them was his wife’s servant girl.)

5. Why was Naaman a very unhappy man? (He had the dreaded disease called Leprosy. Leprosy caused sores or spots to appear on his skin. These sores caused the skin to rot and fall off as well as the bone to deteriorate.)

6. Why were people terrified to go near anyone who had leprosy? (Because it was contagious and there was no cure for it.)

7. Whose idea was it for Naaman to go to Israel to seek the help of Elisha the prophet? (The little servant girl that Naaman had captured from Israel still worshipped God and remembered that Elisha was God’s prophet. She believed that God could cure her master Naaman from leprosy.)

8. Why was the little girl’s desire to help her master so unusual? (She was taken as a captive from her home and was far away from her family. She could have been bitter and angry and not helped her master.)

9. Why did Naaman go to the King of the Aram for help? (He wanted the king to help him go to the land of Israel without being killed by the enemy.)

10. What did the King of Aram do for Naaman? (He so respected Naaman that he wanted to help him. He wrote a letter to the King of Israel asking him to heal Naaman from his leprosy. He also gave gifts to help pay the one who could heal Naaman.)

11. When Naaman arrived in Israel and went to visit King Jehoram, why did the king become very upset? (King Jehoram read the letter and knew that he could not cure leprosy. He thought that the Syrians were trying to trick him into a fight. He did not know about Elisha the prophet.)

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12. What happened when Elisha found out that Naaman had come to visit King Jehoram of Israel? (He sent a messenger to King Jehoram and told him to send him Naaman so he could heal him. Elisha wanted Naaman and the people of Aram to know that there was a true God in Israel.)

13. What did Elisha do when Naaman and his caravan arrived at his humble house? (Instead of greeting Naaman with great fanfare Elisha just sent a messenger to him.)

14. What message did Elisha have for Naaman if he wanted to be cured of leprosy? (The messenger said to Naaman, “Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River and your flesh will be cleansed!”)

15. How did Naaman react when he heard the message from Elisha? (Naaman was bothered by the fact that no one was outside to meet him. After all He was the captain of the Syrian army! He did not want to wash in the muddy Jordan River. He thought that the rivers of Aram were more beautiful and cleaner.)

16. How was Naaman convinced to dip seven times in the Jordan River? (Some of the men with Naaman tried to reason with him about it. They reminded their leader that had he been told to do a difficult thing, he undoubtedly would have tried to do it. Why not do as the servant had said?)

17. What did Naaman’s dipping in the Jordan River seven times show about his heart? (Naaman knew in his heart that his men were right. If he was going to be helped by God, he must be willing to believe and obey. Naaman believed and was healed.)

18. After being healed what did Naaman and his men do? (Naaman and his men humbly returned to the small house where Elisha lived. Naaman thanked Elisha and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.)

19. What did Naaman want to give Elisha as a gesture of thanks for being healed? (Naaman said, “Please now accept a gift from your servant.” They showed Elisha the many gifts from the king—gold, silver, and many sets of clothing.)

20. Why did Elisha not want the gifts? (But Elisha did not want their gifts. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will not accept such a thing!” Elisha wanted God to have all the glory for this miracle. Elisha did not want Naaman to think that God’s healing and salvation could be bought with riches.)

21. What change took place in Naaman’s heart when he was healed of leprosy? (Naaman promised that he would never again worship false gods. He would only offer sacrifices and offerings to the Lord. He would only love and serve the one true God of Israel Jehovah. A wonderful miracle had taken place. Naaman had been cured of his leprosy through simple faith and obedience to the will of God. Naaman’s heart had been changed to love God.)

22. After Naaman left to return to his country who chased after him and what did he want to do? (Gehazi, the servant of Elisha said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” Gehazi was very selfish and he wanted the riches that Naaman had offered Elisha.)

23. What did Naaman do when he was asked by Gehazi to give him gifts and clothes? (Naaman willingly gave him twice what he asked for. Naaman showed great gratitude for his healing.)

24. When Elisha found out what Gehazi had done, what did he do? (Elisha knew about his dishonest servant’s dealings and declared, “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So Gehazi’s skin became leprous as white as snow.)

25. How is sin like leprosy? (In many ways sins is like leprosy. Sin is anything that displeases God and it separates us from Him. God must punish sin and that punishment is to be separated from Him forever. But God had a plan to save Naaman just as He has a plan to save us!)

26. What is God’s plan for us to heal us of our disease of sin? (When Jesus died on the cross He was taking the punishment for our sin. As He hung there on the cross, God placed on Him all the wrong things you and I have done. The Lord Jesus willingly suffered so you and I would not have to. He gave His blood so our sins could be forgiven and we could become clean. The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except by Him. There is only one way for you and I to be cleansed from our sin and that’s by believing in what Jesus did for us on the cross.)

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27. What is the memory verse? (Our memory verse is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Hand Motions”

Our memory verse is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Have students locate the verse in scripture and read it aloud together several times. Say: “This verse is tells us that God has a plan for us to be cleansed from our sin. It is through His Perfect Son, the Lord Jesus. We must believe or trust in Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life.” Use the following hand motions to teach each word of the verse.

For God - point to the ceiling

So loved - use your arms to "draw" a large heart with your arms

the world - put arms into a circle to represent the shape of the world

that He gave - put hands out as if giving something

His only Son - act like rocking a baby

that whoever believes - hands over your heart

in Him - point to the ceiling

shall not perish - wave hands in front of you as in a "no way" motion

but have eternal life - arms straight out to your sides

John 3:16

Group Learning Activity: “Object Lesson: Leprosy Glove” (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need a plastic glove, some baby powder, and a bowl of water. Before class begins, put some baby powder into the glove and put the glove on your hand. Procedure: Put the glove on before class. Try to act embarrassed about your hand and try to keep it hidden. If a child asks you about it, just say, “Oh, it’s really nothing.” Retell the story of Naaman keeping your glove on through the story. Your glove will represent the leprosy that Naaman had. When you get to the place in the story when Naaman dips seven times in the Jordan you can then tell your class that maybe that would be a good idea for your hand. Say, “7-6-5-4-3-2-1, Wow!” Allow the children to smell your hand, the baby powder helps your hand smell like a baby, like Naaman’s childlike skin.” Say: “When someone in Bible times had leprosy, it was a very hard thing. They stood out from everyone else, and often had to be separated from their family and friends. There was no cure for leprosy, apart from a miracle from God. When Naaman found out that he had leprosy how do you think he felt? He seemed to be in a hopeless situation.” Say: “Leprosy is a terrible problem. But there is something much worse than leprosy. It is sin. You and I have sinned. Sin is anything that displeases God and it separates us from Him. God must punish sin and

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that punishment is to be separated from Him forever. But God had a plan to save Naaman just as He has a plan to save us! God’s plan of salvation is a free gift to all who believe in Him.” Review the memory verse, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Say: “This verse is tells us that God has a plan for us to be cleansed from our sin. It is through His Perfect Son, the Lord Jesus. We must believe or trust in Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life. When Jesus died on the cross He was taking the punishment for our sin. As He hung there on the cross, God placed on Him all the wrong things you and I have done. The Lord Jesus willingly suffered so you and I would not have to. He gave His blood so our sins could be forgiven and we could become clean. The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except by Him. There is only one way for you and I to be cleansed from our sin and that’s by believing in what Jesus did for us on the cross. Say: “In order to be healed from leprosy Naaman had to humble himself and dip in the muddy waters of the Jordan River. Because Naaman trusted in God’s way he was healed. The same thing is true for us. If we believe the Lord Jesus died to cleanse us from sin we are saved from being eternally separated from Him. Do you believe the Lord Jesus died to cleanse you from sin? Your faith in Jesus is God’s way of salvation! Will you believe?”

Group Learning Game/Activity: “Follow and Obey” (Grades K-5) Purpose: This activity will help us to understand what it is like to obey. Say: “In order for Naaman to be healed he had to follow the instructions that the Lord had given to Elisha. Naaman had a choice. He could either obey and receive the healing that God wanted to give him, or he could disobey and miss out on God’s blessing. We have the same choice. Today we are going to play a game that will help us remember our choice to follow and obey.” Preparation: You will need an 8’ - 10’ rope and a blindfold. Procedure: Split the class into two groups. One of the groups will be the rope holders. They can stand on one side and hold the rope chest high. They should hold it in order to make a shape such as a large “V,” “W,” or “Z.” Next, the other team can take turns guessing the shape. Blindfold one of the children (blindfold before the first group makes their shape) and allow them to hold the rope and move to the other side. They can then guess what the shape is. Take turns to allow the other children to do it, changing the shape each time. Say: “It is important to hold onto the Lord and His Word when we follow Him. He will lead us where He wants us to be. God wanted to heal Naaman, so He led him to Elisha. God will lead us if we will follow and obey. Let must come to the Lord with a humble heart.”

Group Learning Activity: “Follow God’s Directions” Object Lesson (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need a box of instant pudding or something similar. You will need a bowl, cold milk, large stirring spoon, and small serving dishes or bowls (Styrofoam cups or bowls.) Say: “One day last week I wanted a snack. I looked in the cookie jar... empty! I looked in the freezer for some ice cream... nothing there either. I looked everywhere, but all I could find was a box of chocolate instant

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pudding mix. I'm not much of a cook, so I wasn't sure I could make pudding. I looked at the directions on the box and this is what it said: (1) Beat the pudding mix into 2 cups of cold milk for two minutes. (2) Pour the mixture into small individual serving dishes. The pudding will be ready to eat in 5 minutes. How simple! You don't even have to cook it. Anyone could do that, couldn't they? Well, I did it and the pudding was delicious. Today we are going to follow these simple directions to make some pudding.” Procedure: Set the cooking ingredients and cooking utensils out on the table. Cover table with paper cloth for easy cleanup. Emphasize each step in the directions for making the instant pudding. Say: “You know, there are many things in life that are really very simple. All we have to do is to learn to follow the directions. In our Bible lesson today, we will learned about a man named Naaman who had the dreaded disease of leprosy. He learned that even serious situations can sometimes have a simple solution. To rid himself of leprosy all he had to do was follow the directions given to him by Elisha. He had to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. It was a simple solution to a serious problem, but Naaman almost missed it because he didn't want to follow the directions.” Say: “We often face problems in our life. Sometimes we are willing to try almost anything -- anything, that is, except what God's Word tells us to do. God's Word has the solution to all of life's problems, if we will just follow the directions!” Close in prayer asking God to help us be willing to follow His directions in the Bible for living our lives to please Him.

Group Learning Activity: “Naaman’s Servant Girl” Reenactment (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will need a girl’s Biblical costume to depict Naaman’s Servant Girl. Print the script below for an older girl to read aloud to the class. You can invite a teen to come to your class to depict the young servant girl and read the script if desired. Procedure: Choose a older girl from your class or a teen girl to depict Naaman’s servant girl. She will need to have a good reading ability to be able to read the script below. Have her dress in the Biblical costume and read the following script to retell the story or Naaman’s Healing from her point of view for the younger students in your class.

Hi! I want to tell you what happened to a friend of mine very long ago. I lived with some special people and I helped them in their house. They were very kind to me. My friend, Naaman, was a very important man. He took care of the soldiers for the king. One day, he began to get very bad skin sores. He was very upset and did not know what to do. No one had ever been cured of this disease. I spoke up and told him that in my country there was a man of God named Elisha, who could cure his problem. He was so excited. He packed his clothes and hurried off to visit the man. When he got to Elisha’s door, a helper came instead of Elisha. He told Naaman to dip 7 times in the Jordan River and he would be clean. Naaman was upset. He was disappointed that Elisha did not come to the door. He went away mad.

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On the way, some of Naaman’s friends talked to him and asked him to go to the Jordan river. They stopped and Naaman dipped in the water 7 times. (Count to 7) When Naaman came up out of the water, he was clean! Naaman was well! God cured his sickness! Naaman saw that God was the only real God. He believed in God that day and only followed Him.

Conclude the lesson by having the class sing these words to the tune of “Mulberry Bush.” Seven baths did Naaman take, Naaman take, Naaman take, Seven baths did Naaman take, count them all right now. (Count to seven) Seven baths and Naaman’s well, Naaman’s well, Naaman’s well Seven baths and Naaman’s well count them all right now. (Count to seven) Thanks to God who made him well, made him well, made him well, Thanks to God who made him well, All-le-lu-ia!

Optional: Bring baby powder and let everyone out “leprosy spots” on their arms. Bring a blue sheet as the Jordan River. Take turns being “Naaman” and dip in the river. When the students go down the 7

th time,

they can quickly wipe off the powder and come up clean.

Group Learning Activity: “Sevens” Challenge (Grades K-4) Preparation: You will need to make numbered cards using index cards. On each card write a number between 1 and 6 using a black permanent marker. You will need enough cards for every student in your class to get two cards. Tape a start line to the floor at one end of your classroom. Procedure: Encourage the kids to line up behind the start line. Shuffle and lay out the cards upside down several feet away. When you give the command to go, the kids should run to the line of cards and take two of them. They should then go back to the start line. Invite them to flip the cards over. The goal is for them to have two numbers that when added together equal seven. Shuffle the cards and play again. The winner is the kid who has the number seven. Optional: Challenge the kids to do a certain action seven times. See who can do them faster. Here are a few ideas: jumping jacks, hop on one foot, squats, run in circles, push-ups, and so forth. Say: “Elisha, God’s prophet, sent his messenger to tell Naaman to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. At first Naaman refused because he expected his healing would be different. In the end, Naaman obeyed and was healed. We all face different types of sicknesses but there is one sickness that we all have. It’s called sin. Romans 3:23 says everyone has sinned. There is only one cure for sin. The cure is Jesus. Who heals us from our sin? Jesus heals us from our sin.

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Group Learning Activity: “The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me” (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Each student will need a Bible. Procedure: Distribute Bibles to every student. Say: "Have you ever heard the word “gospel.” The word gospel means “good news.” It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Today we are going to use our Bibles for find out what the gospel is according to God’s Word.” Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. Have students locate and read aloud the following scriptures.

God rules: Explain to students that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean.

We sinned. Tell students that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God’s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It’s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with students that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell students that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He’s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus.

Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Have students record what they have learned from these verses in their spiritual journals.

Craft Learning Activity: “Jesus Loves Us All” Preparation: You will need construction paper in various colors, scissors, and copies of the ‘Painters Palette” printed in color on cardstock for each child. Say: “God loved Naaman even though he was not from the nation of Israel. God loves all people everywhere and wants them to come to Him. God sent His Son Jesus so that any one of us could have eternal life if we would believe in Him. This craft will help us to remember that Jesus loves every child everywhere.” Procedure: Cut out the palette and the pictures of the children above it. Paste the palette onto a piece of construction paper (any color). Next, paste a picture of a child over each of the colors on the palette. Next, cut circles out of construction paper (various colors) large enough to cover the pictures of the children. Place the colored circles over the children and paste at one end to form a flap.

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Say: “God loved Naaman and God loves us all, even though we might be different. God used the young servant girl from Israel to lead Naaman to Elisha for his healing. God can also use us to lead others to come to know Jesus as their Savior.”

Craft Learning Activity: “God Heals Hearts” (Grades K-4) Preparation: You will need construction paper in various colors, a box of self-adhesive bandages, scissors, colored markers, pencils and poster board for each child. You will also need a few heart patterns cut out of poster board or heavy weight paper for children to trace. Procedure: Give a piece of construction paper to each child. Distribute heart patterns and instruct the students to take turns using the patterns to draw a heart on their paper. Guide the children to cut out their hearts. Give each child two bandages to form a cross shape in the center of their heart. Instruct them to write around the edge of the heart. “God heals hearts.” Guide them to write today’s memory verse John 3:16 on their heart. Say: “Naaman needed two kinds of healing. He needed to be healed of his skin disease and of his disbelief. God healed him physically and spiritually! God has the power to heal us physically and spiritually! When Jesus died on the cross, He paid for our sin. We can repent and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.”

Craft Learning Activity: “Naaman Cup Craft” Preparation: You will need to print the Naaman man figures on cardstock so each child has a Naaman for his or her craft. Cut around each of the characters. You will also need crayons, scissors, paper cups, blue paper, craft stick, and clear adhesive tape. Procedure: Give each student a copy of the Naaman figure printed on cardstock. Each child will need a well and unwell Naaman. Have students color the characters and cut them out on the outside outline. Have students glue the two sides of Naaman back to back onto a wooden craft stick. Pierce a hole in the bottom of the cup and make it bigger until it fits the craft stick through it. Cut out the blue paper in the shape of a cup sleeve. See diagram. Cut a wavy line on the top of your cup sleeve. Wrap the cup sleeve around your cup and tape it down. Stick the Naaman characters back to back on the craft stick. Poke the craft stick through the cup. Have students move the character up and down to show how many times he dipped in the Jordan River in order to be healed. Say: “Naaman traveled back to his country a different person inside and out. Outside, his skin was clean. He was well. Inside, he knew in his heart that God was the only real and true God. He trusted Him and began to follow God alone” Say: “God can do the same thing in our lives. God made a way to help us clean out all the dirty sin that we have in our life. Jesus died and came back to life to pay the price for all of our sin. He did this for us. If we believe in Him, and ask Him to come into our life and forgive our wrongs, Jesus will clean out our sin and make us pure. He will come into our life and help us live and do things for God.

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Say: “The little girl spoke up and told her friends about God and how to find Him. We can do the same thing!”

Life Application Challenge: “Prayer for Sick” Say: “Who heals us from our sin? (Jesus heals us from our sin.) Encourage students to share prayer requests. The children may want to pray for people whom they know are sick. Pray, thanking God for healing sickness, but more importantly for healing sin. Pray for each child by name, asking God to show them that Jesus is the only way to receive true forgiveness. Consider visiting a member of your church who is homebound (someone who cannot travel to church each week.) Spend time getting to know each other and praying for each other. You may also wish to have a short time of singing and devotional. Encourage students to share the story of Elisha and Naaman. Take pictures together. Consider calling, writing notes, and visiting this person throughout the year.

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Naaman the Leper

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

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Painter’s Palette

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Naaman Cup Craft

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Naaman Cup Craft

unit 12: elijah and elisha ot12.12 naaman the leper · the memory verse is john 3:16 “for god so...

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